Evaluation of Electroencephalogram Signals of the Professional Pianists during Iconic Memory and Working Memory Tests Using Spectral Coherence

Seyedeh Yasamin Boutorabi, Ali Sheikhani, Ali Sheikhani

Abstract

Today, the neuroscience has growth in many aspects, and the effects of different factors on memoryobtained many achievements. Several scientifc and experimental studies evaluated effects of musicon style and behavior of people; in this study, we evaluated memory between two groups of people,the professional pianists and normal people, through processing their electroencephalogram (EEG)signals using the coherence measure. In this study, EEG signals from 17 subjects during two memorytasks were recorded. After that, these signals were preprocessed, and spectral coherence connectivitymeasure between pair of electrodes was computed and then compared in the fve frequency bandsusing independent t‑test. Results of this statistical analysis for working memory task showedsignifcant differences in the temporal, central, and parietal lobes, especially in P7, P3, Pz, T8, C3,and C4 electrodes. As we know, these differences are related to learned skills and activities, wordsand sounds perception, and memory. Furthermore, for iconic memory task, signifcant differenceswere observed in the right hemisphere of these two groups. From this task, we can say professionalpianists are different from normal people in the perception of images and creativity. Results of thisstudy show the effects of music on human brain and memory.